Nothing Out of Me
by Shaelynn Stark
Summary: Essentially, Phil and Tony start hooking up in a series of one-night stands ending in Phil leaving Tony all alone immediately after sex. Tony decides he's had enough and Phil will do whatever it takes to convince Tony that he really is in love with the billionaire. But, will fate ever give him the chance? ***WARNING: Sexual themes! Male/Male relationship!***


**Nothing Out of Me**

**Disclaimer:  
**As always, I own nothing.

**Rating:  
**M (for sexual themes and explicit song lyrics)

**Genre:  
**Romance/Angst

**Pairing:  
**IronTazer (I know. Who would have ever thought I'd write another IronTazer fic? My poor ScienceHusbands feels are taking a real beating, lately.)

**Lyrics Used (In order of appearance):  
**Lennon "Nothing Out of Me" (Explicit)  
Lennon "Morning"  
Ke$ha "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes"  
Ke$ha "The Harold Song" (Deconstructed Mix)  
Hunter Hayes "Somebody's Heartbreak"  
JoJo "Disaster"  
Selena Gomez "Come & Get It"

* * *

_If I fucked you once | Would it keep you in your place | And, I don't give up my freedom to run away | Can you stand too far not to be | The warmest feeling inside of me_

_If I had a voice, I'd speak | If I knew the truth, I'd leave | Can you be the lies I need | To make nothing out of me | And, there's a voice to speak | And, there is truth to believe | And, you'll be the lies I need | To make nothing out of me  
_

* * *

Phil Coulson pulled out of his lover, rolling over and off the bed. This was their routine. After a rough or particularly stressful mission or assignment, Coulson would show up at Tony's bedroom door-late at night-for a bout of 'stress relief'. Or at least that's what they called it. Ever since Fury had revealed to the Avengers that their beloved handler was indeed alive and-on the way to well-over six months ago. He remembered that night all too vividly. He had seen the threat of tears in Stark's usually warm brown eyes. Phil had been both anticipating and dreading Stark's reaction the most. He also remembered how, after everyone had excused themselves for the evening, how Stark had all but thrown himself at Coulson. It was Phil's greatest fantasy coming to pass. He knew he'd likely never get another shot like this so, morality be damned, he went for it.

By the time it was all said and done, reality began to set in for the agent. He knew Stark's reputation all too well. The billionaire playboy would likely view this as a one-time deal. It wouldn't be to him, the dream come true that it had been for Coulson. So, much the same as he had done this evening, he quickly rolled over, dressed and left without a word. He didn't even chance a glance back at Stark as he left the playboy's bedroom for fear that he would lose his resolve and end up saying or doing something he might regret.

Honestly, Phil was even surprised this...thing between them had gone on as long as it had. And, while it wasn't all he ever wanted or everything he'd ever dreamed of having with the billionaire...If Tony was willing to give that much of himself to the agent, then, damn it...He was gonna take whatever he could get. The truth of the matter was that Phil Coulson was hopelessly in love with Tony Stark.

But, the billionaire's reputation preceded him. Phil knew Tony wasn't the commitment type. So, if this was all they would ever have, it's better than nothing, right? 'Friends with Benefits' was better than just being 'Friends' and seeing Tony day in and day out without ever being able to satisfy his attraction, right? That was what Phil tried to tell himself. Believing that was preferable to the reality of the matter: the fact that he was reducing himself to nothing more than Tony Stark's whore-his dirty little secret. Because, in fact, they never spoke of their arrangement-to anyone, let alone each other. Phil would just show up at Tony's bedroom door when everyone else was gone and the cycle would repeat itself.

Once Phil arrived back in his own bedroom, he closed the door and locked it behind himself to allow himself the security of privacy before crossing the room over to his bed. After collapsing down onto the bed, Phil buried his face in the pillow as the shame and regret that usually followed a late-night encounter with Tony Stark overwhelmed him and flowed down his cheeks in the form of tears. It was moments like this when Phil couldn't lie to himself, anymore. He knew he was only torturing himself, sleeping with Tony knowing there was no chance in hell that his feelings for the playboy could ever be reciprocated. But, knowing what the problem was and having the courage to actually do something about it were two totally different things.

* * *

_The feeling of coming to no one there | You rip off my clothes as you rip off my life | Destroyed my world in a matter of words | You left me waiting, you left me undecided | You left me waiting, you left me waiting | I hear the knock at the door | And, I don't care who's not there, anymore | The sound is driving me insane | And, damn it, nothing's going my way  
_

* * *

As he and his...lover?...fuck buddy?...rode out the aftershocks of both of their climaxes, Tony watched as Phil just wordlessly rolled over and off of the bed and silently dressed just...left. The agent never even spared a glance back at the man he had just fucked senseless. But, this was their pattern. They would have a rough assignment from S.H.I.E.L.D., Phil would show up at his door and throw himself at Tony. They would have a bout of hot and heavy sex, Phil would dress and leave without a word. That was the way it worked. Those were the rules. Though, Tony still remembered the night that had set this whole thing in motion.

_Fury had revealed to him and the other Avengers that their beloved handler, Phil Coulson was-indeed-alive. Tony remembered the flood of relief that washed over him as he took in the sight of Phil standing before him. He remembered how he regretted not telling the agent how he felt about him before he had been 'killed'. That was the reason why, after the others had all retired for the night and he and Phil were left alone in the living room, he had made a split-second decision. He didn't trust himself to get the words out, right. So, he went with his gut and threw himself at Phil, kissing him hungrily-hoping to convey all the emotions that washed over him when he had learned that Phil was alive-all the love, all the relief, all the desperation, all the passion._

_ And, it had worked. Or so Tony thought. Phil was soon kissing him back-matching his need, his desperation. It appeared that Phil had wanted this just as much as Tony and that thought felt unbelievably amazing. From there, it wasn't long until the Avenger and the agent had found their way into Tony's bedroom. Tony was surprised, however, to feel Phil gently pushing down onto the mattress. As accustomed as Tony was to topping, he didn't have one single objection to passing that torch on to Phil._

_ The agent kissed him with an eagerness that sent tremors of anticipation through every muscle in Tony's body as he felt Phil's hands roaming his body, making quick work of both their clothes. The two of them soon found themselves both naked, evidence of their arousal apparent. The next thing the playboy knew, Phil had found the condoms and the lube in his nightstand and was already scissoring two fingers inside his entrance, before positioning himself at Tony's entrance. Just before Phil thrust into him, Tony caught a glimpse of Phil's eyes. Although they weren't impassive as they usually are, they were so clouded a myriad of different emotions, Tony couldn't make heads or tails of them._

_ When he tried, he soon discovered that his brain had turned to mush the moment Phil thrust into him, again and again. As Tony entered into a euphoric state, he barely registered the warmth of Phil's hand encircling his own member, stroking it-gently, at first, and then picking up speed as his thrusts quickened. The ecstasy of it all soon sent Tony over the edge as he gripped Phil's shoulders, pulling the two of them flush against one another. Phil hit his own climax mere moments after Tony and the two of them silently rode out the aftershocks, together._

_ Before Tony could say anything, however, all of his hopes and dreams were soon dashed as the agent shook his head slightly before rolling off of him and climbing out of the bed. Unable to process what was happening before him, Tony just numbly watched as the agent gathered his clothes up off of the floor-dressing silently-and, without a second glance, left the room; leaving Tony alone with his thoughts as he curled into a fetal position under the covers-suddenly feeling colder than he had ever felt before in his life._

Sure, the playboy was no stranger to the one-night stand. The difference was that, whenever _he_ did it, he already made the terms of the night very clear to his all too willing partners. They all knew exactly what they were getting into. This time, Tony was on the receiving end without the luxury of advanced warning. He had been under the severely misguided impression that his encounter with the agent had meant more than just a quick lay. He never knew that the agent would just up and leave him without even so much as an explanation-or even a 'goodbye', for that matter.

Tony had tried for weeks to put that encounter behind him. He had spent weeks forcing a not-quite-natural smile on his face whenever he was around the agent or the other Avengers. But, at night, when he was all alone, he couldn't escape the feelings he had felt _that night_. Tony had never felt so dirty, so used, so...worthless...before, in his life. And, he hated it. He wished he could just put it all behind him and forget it had ever even happened...Just like Phil apparently had.

* * *

_I'm dancin' with tears in my eyes | Just fightin' to get through the night | I'm losin' it (losin' it, losin' it losin' it) | With every move I die | I'm faded I'm broken inside | I've wasted the love of my life | I'm losin' it (losin' it, losin' it, losin' it) | With every move I die_

_When did I become such a hypocrite | Double life, lies that you caught me in | Trust me I'm paying for it | With every move I die | On the floor I'm just a zombie | Who I am | Is not who I wanna be | I'm such a tragedy | With every move I die  
_

* * *

"Stark." Natasha's voice called to the billionaire after Fury dismissed the latest Avengers meeting. As the others all filed out, Tony remained behind to speak with the red-headed assassin.

"Yeah, Nat?" He asked, curious as to what she would want with him.

"I wanted to speak with you..." The assassin began, mysteriously. "We're not idiots, Stark. We may not all be geniuses like you, but, even the rest of the team and I can tell that you've become...withdrawn. Most of the time, you're almost yourself but...Well, we've noticed that whenever Coulson-" Tony couldn't stop the involuntary wince when Natasha said Phil's name. She knew, then, that she was on to something. "-is around...you just...shut down..." Natasha elaborated. "So, I have to ask...Is there something going on between you and Coulson that the team and I should know about?"

Tony remained silent for a moment-a first for him-as he thought about the answer to Natasha's question. He wondered whether he should break their silence or just let the secret remain buried. He had to admit...He _was _getting tired of the secrecy. And, it would be nice to have a friend like Natasha to help him sort through his feelings for their handler. Natasha was always far wiser than anyone would expect someone with her lifestyle to be with relationships and emotions. Tony, himself, was always crap with both. "It's...It's nothing." He had thought about telling Natasha the truth, but, backed out at the last second. It wasn't for wont of _wanting _to tell her...He just couldn't find the words.

Tony knew, immediately, that she wasn't buying his lie even for a moment when he saw her elegant eyebrow quirk, knowingly. He should have known better. Natasha can smell a lie a mile away. "Really, Tony?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

_Well, cat's clawin' it's way outta the bag, now...No use trying to hide it, anymore. _He thought to himself. Dipping his head for a moment, Tony drew in a steadying breath before raising his gaze back up to the assassin before him. "Off the record?" He asked, hoping Natasha would agree to keep this between the two of them. Although, deep down, he knew she likely would. When she merely nodded with a muttered 'Of course', Tony pressed onward with a heavy sigh. "Well...It all started back when Fury told us that Phil was still alive-" Natasha, naturally did not miss Tony's use of their handler's first name. "-anyway, after you all went to bed, I was still so...overwhelmed with relief and I wanted to take my chance to tell him how I felt about him but I didn't know if I would be able to get the words, right. So, I just threw myself at him..." That wasn't surprising. "God, I _know _how corny it sounds, Nat, I really do. But, I can't help it. That's just how I feel." Natasha could sympathize with her friend. She knew the feeling all too well. "Anyway, I was thrilled when he seemed to reciprocate my feelings. But, I...I guess...I guess, that night just meant more to me than it did to him." He explained with a pathetic sigh as Natasha gently covered his hand with her own, stroking the back of it tenderly-not entirely unlike a gesture one would see between a mother and son duo. "When he was done, he just...Got outta bed...Got dressed and...And left..." Tony felt the tears pricking his eyes as he continued speaking and knew that Natasha must have seen them, too, as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Anyway, it's...It's kind of become a...pattern for us." Tony pressed on, his voice growing thick with emotion. "Whenever we have a particularly tough or stressful mission, he'll show up at my door and the whole vicious cycle repeats itself...Leaving me just feeling...Dirty and...used..." He admitted, hanging his head for a moment. "I know I'm known as a playboy-and, until Phil and I started this...whatever the fuck this is that we're in, I was-but, I haven't slept with anyone else since that night...And, even when I _did _engage in one-night stands...Those women all knew what they were getting into. I always made that perfectly clear, up-front. I just...I can't believe he just blind-sided me, like that." Tony confessed, his voice shaking far more emotion than he would ever admit to.

Natasha couldn't believe what she was hearing. Initially, she had suspected the two men had just had some sort of falling out or something to that effect. She figured it would just be some sort of simple fix. But, this? This, she had never expected. "Tony, I-" Her voice cut out as she tried to find the right words. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea it was this bad."

"I just want it to stop hurting, Nat..." The tears were flowing freely now, and, it broke the assassin's allegedly stone-cold heart. She hated seeing any of her friends this upset. Tony's voice was small and trembling as he pled with her.

"I know, Tony, I know..." That was it. Natasha had had enough. She rose from her seat while pulling Tony up with her before pulling him into a warm and supportive embrace as he wept quietly into her shoulder. As much as it may have pained her to see Tony hurting this deeply, she knew he needed this. She knew he had been bottling this up for far too long. He needed to cry this out. After a few more moments, when Tony had calmed somewhat, Natasha pulled just far enough away to look straight into Tony's eyes as she spoke. "Listen to me, Tony..." She began, firmly. "I don't know how, just yet...But, I promise you this...I _will _find a way to make this all all right for you..."

Looking into the Russian assassin's eyes, he knew she was as good as her word. He knew that-if anyone _could_-Natasha Romanoff would find a way to help the billionaire through his troubles. "Thanks, Nat..." He replied, finally feeling a new-found sense of hope that he had missed for oh so long. "Thank you so much." With another quick embrace, Tony left to catch up with the others.

_Eto nevoobrazimoye ublyudok! Koulson poluchilchertovski mnogo ob"yasneniye, chtoby sdelat' ! _Natasha thought to herself, as she watched Tony leave. Once he left, she took off on her own mission. A mission to find the son of a bitch who hurt her friend. When she found him, Natasha would make _damn _sure Phil Coulson paid for what he had done to Tony Stark!

* * *

_I miss your soft lips | I miss your white sheets | I miss the scratch of your unshaved face on my cheek | And, this is so hard | That I didn't see | That you were the love of my life | And, it kills me_

_They say that true love hurts | Well, this could almost kill me | Young love murdered | That is what this must be | I would give it all to not be sleepin' alone | lone | The life is fading from me while you watch my heart bleed | Young love murdered | That is what this must be | I would give it all to not be sleepin' alone | lone  
_

* * *

Natasha Romanoff strode into Phil Coulson's office at S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ-almost like a predator stalking a prey-on a mission. "Vy nevoobrazimoye ublyudok! Ty razbila yego serdtse! Vy zastavlyalo yego chuvstvovat' sebya ispol'zovat'! Oskvernili ! Predannaya ! Bespolezno ! YA bol'no lyudyam men'she!" She hissed, as she placed a hand on either arm rest of the agent's office chair, pinning him in place underneath her deadly stare.

She could see in her handler's eyes that he was panicking. To an untrained eye, Phil Coulson would appear calm on the outside, but, the assassain knew her handler better than that. She could very nearly smell the fear radiating off of him. Finally, he snapped. "Whoa-_whoa_, Natasha-" He began, in a failed attempt to placate the red-head. Sadly, he seemed to only make matters worse.

"Vot " Agent Romanovykh ", chtoby ty, synsuka!" She hissed, venomously. The look in her eyes told Phil that he was in for a world of hurt if he didn't do something to calm the situation. He suddenly had a whole new understanding of what it must be like for all the targets she'd taken out in the past.

"English, Agent Romanoff, English!" He barely managed to choke out as he cleared his throat to rid his voice of the squeaks that he would later deny. "Please...Speak English if it's not too much to ask!" He half-requested-half-begged.

"You unimaginable bastard! You broke his heart! You made him feel used! Defiled! Betrayed! Worthless! I've hurt people for less than that!" She spat, her face mere inches from Phil's face. "Do you even _know _what the hell you've done to him?!" Natasha hissed, looking as though she may well kill the agent before her. "How much you have _broken _him? Do you even care?" She asked, though her eyes betrayed that she already knew the answer. Or at least what she expected it to be. With a derisive snort, she added "What am I saying? Of course you don't!" Her voice was low and dangerous, dripping with both venom and malice. "Because, if you _did_, you wouldn't be using him as your own personal _whore_...Using him for your own damn selfish pleasures. Making him feel like a common street hooker. Tony Stark is a human being. He deserves to be treated as such." And, there it was...Natasha knew what he had Tony had been up to. _Damn._ He thought to himself. "So, I am warning you...Fix. This." She hissed, darkly. "I don't care how you do it! I don't care how long it takes! Fix. This." And, with that, the red-head turned on her heel, stalking back toward the door. Finally, Phil seemed to find his voice.

"How?" He asked. Natasha had to admit. Even she was stunned by the small and timid voice that called out to her. Even she had to admit that there was no way in hell that the tremble in the other agent's voice was anything less than legitimate. "How do I fix this?" He asked. Finally turning around to look back at him from her place in the doorway, Natasha could see the pleading desperation in his eyes. In the end, she knew she had been right all along. The agent _did _have feelings for Stark. He _wanted _to fix this-more than anything.

With a light sigh, Natasha replied "Talk to him." By the look in Phil's eyes, she knew he would need more to go on. "Tell him how you feel about him. Make sure you show him _exactly _how much he means to you. That's what he needs. He needs to know that he means more to you than just a quick and easy fuck." And, with that, the red-head turned and left.

And Phil's mind went into overdrive.

* * *

_If you're gonna be somebody's heartbreak | If you're gonna be somebody's mistake | If you're gonna be somebody's first time | Somebody's last time, baby, be mine | If you're lookin' to be somebody's 'just friends' | A little laughin', little lovin', never callin' again, that's just fine | If you're gonna be somebody's heartbreak | Be mine, yeah | Oh, be mine  
_

* * *

Tony had finally joined the others back at the tower after his meeting with Natasha. "So, what took you two so long?" Clint asked, casually. "What? Did Nat finally succumb to the famous 'Stark Charm'?" He asked, jokingly, earning him a sharp elbow to the ribs from Natasha. "Ow! What the hell, Nat? It was just a joke! ... Damn!" He muttered, while nursing the sore spot in his rib cage.

"It-uh..." Tony began, debating within himself whether he wanted to tell the others what he and Natasha had discussed. "It was nothing, really." He responded, casually, trying to brush it off. It was hard enough to open up to Natasha. He very seriously doubted that he was ready to open to the rest of the team.

Bruce looked as though he was about to say something when Steve interjected. "Agent Coulson!" He greeted, drawing the attention of everyone in the room to Phil at the doorway. "Where have you been?" He asked, mildly curious.

"Actually, Steve, I was hoping to speak with Tony, privately, if you all don't mind. Phil had to admit, he hated the way he noted Tony's shoulders tense ever so slightly when his eyes landed on him. Forcing himself to tear his eyes away from the brunette, he glanced around the room to see all the consenting looks from Bruce, Clint, and Steve. Though, he didn't miss the warning glare from Natasha.

"All right then..." Phil's face took on a somewhat pained expression as Tony sighed defeatedly, before speaking as he lead him out of the room. "Follow me..." _God, I hope this works..._Phil thought to himself, desperately, as he went over all the things he wanted to say to the billionaire in his head.

Tony finally stopped as he lead the agent to his bedroom. Phil desperately hoped Tony wasn't expecting what he suspected that he might be expecting. Sadly, his suspicions were correct as he watched the billionaire reaching for the hem of his tee shirt, to pull it off. Finally, Phil snapped himself out of whatever trance he was in as he reached out, lightly gripping the billionaire's wrists, freezing them in place. "Tony, stop."

The genius cocked his head, curiously. "I don't underst-" Tony began to voice his questions before the agent spoke again-cutting him off.

"That's...That's not why I'm here..." Phil began, nervously. Before he could speak again, he felt the sensation of someone stabbing him in the gut when he saw the fear of rejection in Tony rich brown eyes.

"You don't..." Tony began, uncertainly. He hated how vulnerable this man made him. He hated being weak or vulnerable for any reason. "You don't...want me?" He asked. He hated this. He hated this weakness.

Finally releasing one of Tony's hands, Phil gently guided him across the room to sit on the edge of the bed. Reaching his free hand out to gently cup Tony's face, Phil finally spoke again. "Tony, please...Don't _ever _think that, okay?" He asked. It very nearly broke his heart to see the surprise in Tony's eyes at the use of his soft, warm voice. "I do...I _do _want you...But, not _just _sexually." Phil paused once again, dropping his hand from Tony's face, as he searched for just the right words to convey the message he was trying to get across. But, before he could get another word in, his head snapped up when Tony spoke up.

"Oh." It was just one word. A single syllable. But, it managed to cut straight through to the agent's very core. The sheer vulnerability and uncertainty in the voice that spoke rocked Phil's world. "That's okay...I get it..." Tony added, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I mean, I kinda figured you'd get bored, eventually. "I mean it's only natural-"

Phil couldn't take it, anymore. He couldn't let Tony go on thinking that way. "God, no!" Tony was shocked by the audible tremble in the agent's voice. He sat stock still, waiting for the agent to elaborate, further. "No, Tony...You don't understand...That's not even remotely the case." He added before pausing again, searching for the right words. As he looked into Tony's eyes, the next words he spoke were out of his mouth before he ever had a chance to stop them. "Tony, I love you!" He declared. _Well, shit...Cat's outta the bag, now...Now, it's all on Tony..._Phil thought to himself as he awaited Tony's response on bated breath.

_So, Natasha lied to me...She went behind my back and talked to Phil and now he knows everything I never wanted him to know. Great to know that when I really need her to, I can always count on Natasha to be there to fuck everything up, royally._ Tony thought to himself, sarcastically, as he processed everything the agent had told him. _Now, he's just telling me what he thinks I wanna hear to keep Natasha happy so she won't grind his ass into the pavement. No, that isn't insulting in the slightest. _"Look, Phil...Clearly Natasha told you what she and I talked about, after the meeting, today...But-I don't care what said or what she threatened you with-but, you don't...You don't have to do this..." Tony's eyes remained downcast as he spoke, and, he missed the shock and pain in the agent's eyes. "It's okay, really, You don't have to humor me. In fact, I'd rather you didn't-it's...It's kind of insulting, actually."

"Tony, no!" Phil interjected, desperately, searching for the words that would convince Tony that he was being honest with him. "Tony, this has nothing to do with Natasha or trying to humor you...I mean every single word I'm saying with all my heart! I love you, Tony! And, I want to be with you! The right way!" Phil knew he was rambling, now. But, he just couldn't find it in himself to care.

"Phil, you don't have to do this, okay?!" Tony insisted. He wanted so badly to believe that Phil was speaking the truth. But, it all just seemed too convenient. Plus, he'd had several opportunities now to tell him all this. Hell, he could have told him the very first night. He could've stayed. He could've never left him, alone, that night. No, he couldn't let himself get hurt. Not again. He'd already put himself through so much. He had to draw the line. Deep down, Tony knew he had to sever ties with the agent...Well...As much as S.H.I.E.L.D. would allow. "But, I just...I can't keep doing this. I can't-"

"Tony, no, please...Just-" Phil interjected, hoping to plead with the billionaire to listen to him. But, it appeared his efforts were in vain as Tony cut him off mid-plea.

"No, Phil!" The volume of Tony's voice shocked both men. After a brief moment of stunned silence, Tony spoke again. "I can't keep doing this, Phil. I can't keep letting you use me like this. I've put myself through enough with you, as it is." He elaborated, needing to get all this out. There was so much he needed to get off his chest. "I love you, yes. But, I know all I am to you is just a guaranteed lay and...That's just...It's not enough, anymore, Phil. I don't care how much you try to convince me otherwise, you've had far too many chances to prove that your feelings are genuine and _every. Damn. Time..._you just walked away. Left me all alone to cry myself to sleep the nights that we slept together. And, I'm done! I'm done putting myself through all that! I won't be played! I won't be made a fool of, anymore. Least of all by you, Phil."

Phil had been about to counter Tony's statements when Hawkeye interrupted the two of them. "Hate to interrupt..." He declared, gaining the attention of the two men in the room before him. "But, Stark, it's time to suit up." Without another word, the archer turned and left the two men to their own devices.

"Tony, wait-" Phil had been hoping to get in one last plea before the genius suited up and left. But, it looked like he would be denied that plea.

"No, Phil." Tony shook off the hand that gripped his arm-a little more violently than he had intended-before staring straight into the agent's eyes. "We're done, here." Tony's voice held a note of finality that left no room for the agent to argue as he watched the billionaire storm out of the room, leaving him alone. For the first time since this whole mess had started, the shoe was finally on the other foot. Phil now had a whole new understanding of Tony's feelings.

* * *

_I didn't want it this way | I only wanted to say | I loved you right | But now you walkin' away | And, leavin' me here to stay_

_'Cause the walls burned up | And love fell down | And, it turned into whatever | Now, we're saying 'Never' | Feel the fire 'cause it's all around | And, it's burnin' for forever and always | You gotta go the other way | And, live for another day | 'Cause it ain't the same, now, baby | Watch it all fall into the ground | No 'Happy Ever After' | Just disaster_

_You shot the bullet, you shot the bullet that killed me | Not feeling my heart beat, and I was dying | I am through it, I-I am through all the agony | And now my eyes are drying, trying | No more crying | Lying's just a game | So disaster strikes | And I'm alright | 'cause my love's on his way... yeah | Burning up forever and always... yeah  
_

* * *

By the time Iron Man had arrived on the scene, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Captain America were each occupied with what looked-on the outside-like very normal-albeit extraordinarily gorgeous-human women. Though, the human disguise was soon shattered by the snake-like tentacles that extended themselves from their fingertips. To his left, Tony noted the Hulk smashing a group of lizard-looking creatures. He smiled ever so slightly as he noted that the Hulk bore an uncanny resemblance to a toddler playing with GI Joe action figures. To his right, he noted Thor locked in hand-to-hand combat against Loki. _Figures Loki'd be at the source of this mess. _Tony thought to himself darkly before he caught sight of what looked like a prehistoric pterodactyl headed straight for him.

The metal-clad genius had just enough time to barrel roll out of the creature's way-hearing it screech in...Frustration? He assumed that was what it was. It was then that Rogers' voice rang in through his comm link. "Nice of ya to join us, Stark!" The billionaire didn't miss the thinly veiled sarcasm in the Captain's voice.

"Couldn't let you guys have _all _the fun, now, could I?" He quipped, though, it lacked his usual witty charm. Apparently the others all noticed as the comm link fell silent for a brief-albeit incredibly awkward-moment. Finally, Tony couldn't stand the silence any longer as his voice took on a pure business tone. "Listen, I got these freaks up here. Looks like Hulk's got a handle on the ones in his corner." The Hulk merely grunted his agreement. "And, Thor looks like he's got grip on things with his evil twin, over there. Cap, you and Widow and Hawk keep an eye on those reptile bitches down there!"

While the Captain wasn't accustomed to taking orders from the billionaire, he decided to let it go-this time-in favor of maintaining the upper hand he, Widow and Hawkeye, had fought so hard to gain. The battle remained heated as the Avengers all fought hard against their respective foes. Hulk had demolished all the lizard-freaks and had moved on to help Clint, Steve, and Natasha with their snake-women. Even Thor had Loki on the run. It looked like things were going very much their way. Finally, Thor had dispensed of Loki-well, more like chased him back through the portal from whence he came-and the Hulk had only just smashed the last of the snake-women. Tony was just about to take out what he had believed to be the last of the airborne freaks when a sudden blow from his right overloaded all of his systems-knocking him out the air.

Thor had managed to summon a bolt of lightening which fried the remaining creatures as the Hulk caught Tony mid-fall. Unfortunately, he had already all but rolled down the side of the skyscraper he had been thrown into before the Hulk reached out to catch him. By the time the Hulk laid him out on the pavement as gently as he could and Thor had removed his faceplate, the damage had already been done. The others took in the sight of Tony's unconscious body-a large gash marring his forehead being the only visible marking from God only knew how many unseen injuries. The team was placated only somewhat by the fact that billionaire was still breathing. Though, the breaths, themselves, were uneven and somewhat alarming.

"We gotta get him back to S.H.I.E.L.D." Steve commented, taking in the sight before him. He knew the billionaire had survived worse, but the sight of the fall he had taken-alone-was enough to be alarming. The rest of the team merely nodded their agreement as the Captain hoisted Tony's metal-clad, unconscious, body into his arms before they all returned to S.H.I.E.L.D.

* * *

_You ain't gotta worry, it's an open invitation | I'll be sittin' right here, real patient | All day, all night, I'll be waitin' standby | Can't stop because I love it, hate the way I love you | All day all night, maybe I'm addicted for life, no lie_

_I'm not too shy to show I love you, I got no regrets | I love you much, too much to hide you, this love ain't finished yet | This love ain't finished yet… | So baby whenever you're ready…_

_When you're ready come and get it | Na na na na na na na na na na na na |When you're ready come and get it | Na na na na na na na na na na na na | When you're re-e-e-e-eady | When you're re-e-e-e-e-eady | When you're ready come and get it | Na na na na na na na na na na na na | When you're ready come and get it | Na na na na na na na na na na na na  
_

* * *

Phil Coulson had raced over to the S.H.I.E.L.D. medical facility the moment Natasha had called him with the news of Tony's accident. As the agent all but stormed through the doors to the facility, he fought in vain to clear his mind of all the worst case scenarios racing through his head. "How is he?" He asked Natasha as calmly as he could manage, though, he knew he sounded more panicked than he would have liked.

"The doctors say that he suffered several broken ribs, a broken arm and a mild concussion." Phil tried and failed not to wince as the assassin listed Tony's injuries. Although it sounded as though Tony would be okay, it still did precious little to calm his fears. Just then, Natasha leaned over and whispered in his ear "Did you talk to him about what we discussed?" Phil was far too concerned for Tony's well-being to be at all bothered by the warning tone in Natasha's voice.

With a light grasp of her elbow, the agent lead her over to the corner of the waiting room so as not to be overheard by the others. "I tried to." At Natasha's questioning glare, he elaborated "Every time I tried to speak up and tell him how I felt, he cut me off. He just kept going on and on about how he couldn't do this anymore. How he just couldn't keep putting himself through anymore of the same thing. When Barton came to get him for the fight, he just said 'we're done, here', and, that was it."

Natasha couldn't help feeling sorry for the agent when she saw the defeated look in his eyes. Wrapping him in a brief hug, she spoke again. "I'm so sorry, Phil. But, you had to know that this would be a possibility."

"You don't think I know that?!" Phil demanded. He knew that the red-head was just being realistic, but, he was just too upset to care, at the moment.

With a soft sigh, Natasha spoke again. "I'm sorry, Phil. I'm not trying to come down on you." She apologized softly. "Look, I think it'd be best if you were there with him when he wakes up." She offered, trying to help her friends get together.

"I don't...I don't know..." Phil stammered, nervously. "I highly doubt _I'm _the first person he wants to see when he wakes up."

Taking Phil's hand in hers, Natasha countered "Phil...You know Stark as well as I do..." Phil bit back a sarcastic response to that comment. "You know that the more he pushes people away, the more he needs them."

Mulling over Natasha's assessment in his head, Phil realized she was right. He had made that same observation about Tony, himself. After thinking it over for another beat, he replied "Yeah...Yeah, you're probably right."

To that, Natasha merely cocked her head to the side, with a mischievous smile on her face, as she replied "When have you ever known me to be wrong?" Phil couldn't help smirking at that remark, despite himself.

"Thanks, Natasha." He replied, wrapping the red-head in another brief embrace before leaving the room for Tony's recovery room.

* * *

Pulling up a chair next to Tony's bed, Phil suddenly found himself completely at a loss for what to do or how carry himself. His instincts were screaming at him to reach out and card his fingers through the mussed up head of brown locks. His heart clenched painfully at the sight of the bloodstained bandage covering part of the genius's forehead. Finally, he settled for lightly gripping the brunette's hand in his while gently stroking a stray lock of hair out of Tony's face. He couldn't resist the small smile as the billionaire unconsciously leaned into the touch.

The agent stayed there, that way, for a moment, until the billionaire slowly started to stir. Just before the brunette's eyes finally opened, Phil panicked and pulled his hands away as he retreated back into his chair. "Phil?" He croaked, before clearing his dry throat. "What are you doing here?" He asked, groggily.

To Phil's surprise, Tony's voice held no ill will. No anger. No contempt. Just...Confusion. _Of course, he's confused, you idiot! He's just suffered a concussion! Not to mention a laundry list of other injuries!_ Nevertheless, the agent decided to take this opportunity to express his feelings toward the beautiful billionaire. "Tony, I..." Phil paused to swallow the slowly growing lump in his throat before continuing. Though, his voice remained as shaky as it was before. "I'm here because I love you! I know you don't believe me, but, damn it, Tony!" The agent had to pause again to compose himself before he lost all control in front of the billionaire. The last thing he would ever want would be for Tony to think he was angry with him when, the truth was, he was only angry with himself. Angry with himself for not doing this a long time ago. With a shuddering breath, Phil finally spoke again. "Tony...I would do anything-_anything_-to help you see that I love you more than anything in the world. And, I am so incredibly sorry for the way I've treated you!" The shock and wonder in Tony's warm brown eyes not only hit him like a knife to the gut, but, also fueled his resolve to continue on with his mission. "It was wrong of me and I know that. I swear, I _never _wanted to hurt you-I need you to know that. It was just...After that first night, I panicked. I was so terrified that you would think it was just a one-night stand. I'm so sorry, Tony..." The agent paused to wipe his eyes with the back of his hand before speaking again. "I would give anything to rewind time and change the way I treated you before, but, I can't..." He conceded. "But, I _can _change the way I treat you in the future. And, you have my word...I know I don't deserve it-hell, I'm not even on the same _planet _as 'deserving it', but, you have my word..." The agent took a risk and reached out to tenderly stroke Tony's cheek-hating the way the billionaire flinched ever so slightly, but, allowed the touch-in order to drive his point home, as he stared directly into the genius' warm brown eyes before speaking one last time. "If you can find it in your heart to forgive me...And, to give me a second chance...You have my word...I will make it my life's mission to treat you the way you deserve to be treated...To make you happy, each and every single day of your life." _There, it is...Cat's outta the bag, now...The ball's in his court..._ Phil thought to himself, anxiously, while mentally bracing himself for Tony's rejection.

Once Phil finished speaking, Tony remained silent, continuing to hold the agent's gaze. Staring into the agent's eyes, he attempt to gauge the usually stoic man's sincerity. But, one look in his eyes made Tony melt the moment he saw the tears streaming freely from the other man's eyes. Phil Coulson never cried. In fact, this was the first time Tony had _ever _seen the man cry. Reaching up a hand, Tony cradled the one on his cheek in his own hand, before finally speaking. "I believe you." His voice was small and timid, but, the words seemed to have the desired effect on the agent as Tony noticed the very beginnings of a relieved smile forming on Phil's face. "I know you, Phil. And, I know you meant every single word you just said." As he spoke, Tony continued to hold Phil's gaze, showing him how serious he was. "I love you, too. So much." Tony felt the tears pricking his own eyes, but, just couldn't find it within himself to care enough to stop them. "And, I forgive you. And, I want to give you a chance-I want to give _us _a chance." Tony finished with a small smile as he watched the relieved smile continue to spread across Phil's face.

At a complete and utter loss for words for what this unbelievably wonderful man before him had just done for him, Phil responded the only way he could think of. Leaning forward slowly-never once taking his eyes off Tony's-and tenderly pressed his lips to billionaire's in a brief, tentative kiss as Phil tried not to exacerbate the brunette's injuries. However, Phil's mind was completely shut down as he registered the sensation of Tony's uninjured hand reaching up to cup his face, wrapping around the back of his neck. The kiss, however, remained chaste-just enough to seal all the promises Phil had made earlier. As they pulled just far enough away for Tony to rest his pounding head against the plush pillows behind him and far enough for Phil to hover less than an inch over Tony's face, the two men remained blissfully unaware of the approving smiles of their friends just outside the door.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Okay, so, I'm not really sure how I feel about this one. But, this is for all those who requested I do another Iron Tazer fic. I love all your support. And, I sincerely hope y'all like this fic!


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